Blackjack Games: One and Thirty
Blackjack
Blackjack is rightly considered the most popular card game in the world today. It takes its name from a bonus payout that was once offered in casinos. A blackjack then consisted of an ace of spades and a jack of spades.
This card game is so popular because it is so easy to learn. A player simply tries to win by scoring 21 or as near as possible, but no higher.
Another reason blackjack is so loved by gamblers worldwide is the skill involved. If correct strategy is used, the odds in the game can switch to the player's advantage.
Blackjack evolved from earlier card games in Italy, France and Spain. Earlier incarnations of the game were known as Twenty One, Seven and a Half, and One and Thirty.
One and Thirty
The game of One and Thirty is one of the predecessors of blackjack. It originated in Spain and bears a resemblance to the modern card game. It is no longer played in casinos today.
In One and Thirty, players try to make a hand total of 31 without busting. A standard 52 card deck is used. The game can be played by up to 8 players.
Card Values and Betting
The card values for One and Thirty vary slightly from blackjack. The numbered cards have face value. Court cards are valued at 10. The ace is always counted as 1.
Players must agree to the bet size prior to the deal. Each player must bet the same amount into the pot.
How to Play One and Thirty
First, players decide who the dealer is going to be. Each player draws a card from the deck. The player with the lowest valued card is assigned as the dealer.
Now the dealer gives 3 cards to each player in turn, starting with the eldest and ending with himself.
Each player must decide whether to "stick" or "have" it. To stick is to stand with one's hand. To have it is to hit. Just as with blackjack, one may keep having until one busts or chooses to stick.
Busting and Winning
If all players bust before the dealer's turn comes, the dealer automatically wins.
When a player makes a 31, that player wins and the hand ends immediately.
If no one has an exact 31, the player with the score nearest to 31 without busting wins.
This is how One and Thirty is played. There are other games similar to blackjack including: Quinze, Spanish 21 and Chinese Blackjack.